Broman-bred Chestertown set for anticipated debut

ELMONT, N.Y. – Chester and Mary Broman were the stars of Saturday’s Empire Showcase Day program, winning three races with horses they bred, two of which they also owned, including Empire Classic winner Mr. Buff.

Thursday, in the second race at Belmont Park, the Bromans’s breeding program will be showcased again when Chestertown, a colt who brought $2 million at the OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale, makes his highly anticipated debut.

Chestertown was purchased at auction by a group that includes West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello, Woodford Racing, and Sienna Farm. The Bromans, who bred the son of Tapit out of the Grade 1-winning mare Artemis Agrotera, stayed in for a piece. Chestertown is trained by Steve Asmussen.

Chestertown began working in late May at Keeneland, but was off the tab for about five weeks during the summer. He resumed a regular workout pattern Sept. 1.

Chestertown will debut at six furlongs in a six-horse field. He is one of two first-time starters in the field along with Pave It, a son of Commissioner trained by Jeremiah Englehart.

Of the four to have run, Scilly Cay was third in his debut at Saratoga in August, while Dangerous Edge has finished behind subsequent stakes winners Tiz the Law and Captain Bombastic in maiden races to begin his career.

“It’s nice to debut against a little bit of a shorter field size than you normally would expect,” said Joey Migliore, a representative of West Point Thoroughbreds. “At the end of the day, even though his dam Artemis Agrotera won sprinting, he’s probably going to want a little bit longer than this six-furlong race that he’s debuting at, but he’s training very well and we do expect a very good effort.”